Monday at noon, in the meeting room of the Ninja Academy.
The trial student council convened for its second official meeting.
"You did a great job." Kitazawa praised after reviewing the student council work submitted by Sasuke for the week.
The recruitment for the Will of Fire Club had gone extremely well. Practically every student in the Academy had joined.
Some came for the Will of Fire, some out of respect for Sarutobi Hiruzen, and others simply for amusement.
After all, entertainment in the Academy was scarce, and such a rare opportunity naturally attracted everyone.
There was only one issue—the Will of Fire Club had too many members. In theory, it made little sense for a single club to hold so many people.
But since this was the Academy's very first club and still in its trial stage, rigid rules weren't necessary.
In fact, the greater the participation, the easier it would be for Sarutobi Hiruzen to see the true effects of the student council's activities.
"Of course! We must give our best in everything we do! This is the way of youth!" Naruto threw his arm around Sasuke's shoulders and asked proudly, "Don't you agree, Sasuke?"
Sasuke curled his lips in irritation. He reminded Naruto that during official business, he should address him by his position!
Are you the president here, or am I?
"The first event isn't bad either." Kitazawa shifted his attention to Inuzuka Hana.
Sarutobi Hiruzen had donated fifty thousand ryō, while the Uchiha clan contributed forty thousand. Ninety thousand ryō was undoubtedly a tremendous sum for students.
To ensure this money was used effectively, Inuzuka Hana's first event would be a quiz competition.
Centered around the Will of Fire, it would mix textbook knowledge with different formats to make it engaging.
"The October exams are coming up soon," Kitazawa said after a brief pause. "We'll hold our event after they're over. That way, everyone will have a chance to relax and unwind."
Another exam? Sasuke's fists clenched unconsciously.
He could never forget the bitter humiliation of his last defeat. Now another opportunity had come. This time, he was determined to restore the Uchiha clan's honor.
At the very least, he had to secure second place!
"That's all for today's meeting. Since there's still some time left, everyone should go rest and take a lunch break." Kitazawa rose from his seat and left the meeting room.
He returned to his office, slept for half an hour, and then made his way to Konoha Hospital.
---
"Good afternoon, Nono-san." Kitazawa opened the office door and saw Yakushi Nono. After a brief pause, he greeted her warmly.
"Good afternoon, Kitazawa," Yakushi Nono replied gently.
"Is there an urgent surgery?" Kitazawa asked, walking over to pour her a glass of water.
"You've nearly mastered the Regenerative Healing Jutsu(Healing Resuscitation Regeneration Technique). Do you feel confident enough to use it on patients?" Yakushi Nono asked with a faint smile.
"Yes," Kitazawa answered firmly, without a moment's hesitation.
A surgery that required the Regenerative Healing Jutsu would surely be of the highest difficulty. And with it, his mission progress could advance another stage.
"Very well," Nono decided immediately. "You'll join us in surgery in half an hour."
The Regenerative Healing Jutsu differed from standard medical ninjutsu. Before it could even be activated, a ritual array had to be drawn.
Half an hour was the minimum time needed to complete it.
"Should we call Senior Sister Shizune over as well?" Kitazawa asked after some thought.
The Regenerative Healing Jutsu demanded teamwork. With only him and Yakushi Nono, it wasn't enough—at least five participants were required.
"It would be best if Shizune could join," Nono said hesitantly. "But… will Tsunade-sama allow it?"
"She'd love nothing more than for Shizune-sama to leave," Kitazawa replied with a shrug. "If Shizune-san isn't around, no one can stop Tsunade-sama from gambling."
"Tsunade-sama really is…" Nono trailed off, at a loss for words.
"I'll head to the casino now," Kitazawa said with a small wave, turning to leave.
There were only a handful of casinos in Konoha. It didn't take long for Kitazawa to find Tsunade and Shizune.
Tsunade stood at the gambling table, her expression tense as she watched the dealer's movements.
In contrast, Shizune's face was numb with resignation. Having followed Tsunade for so long, she already knew how it would end.
She didn't even need to watch to predict the outcome.
"Lost again?! Damn it!" Tsunade slammed the table in frustration.
"Tsunade-sama," Kitazawa said as he approached, seeing that she had finished a round.
"Kitazawa?" Tsunade's eyes lit up, and she said excitedly, "You came just in time, join me in the bet!"
She was remembering Kitazawa's winning streak at the slot machines.
"Sorry, I came here today to see Senior Sister Shizune." Kitazawa recounted the surgery at the Konoha Hospital.
"Have you learned the Regenerative Healing Jutsu?" Tsunade was taken aback and asked subconsciously.
Although she was nominally teaching Kitazawa medical ninjutsu, it was actually Shizune who had been doing the teaching.
Tsunade's addiction to gambling, coupled with the time-consuming nature of learning medical ninjutsu, had kept her in the dark about Kitazawa's progress.
Now, upon hearing that he had mastered the Regenerative Healing Jutsu, she was understandably impressed.
"This is all thanks to Senior Sister Shizune," Kitazawa said modestly.
Shizune hesitated. What credit had she given?
From beginning to end, she felt she hadn't contributed anything. Kitazawa had learned too quickly, and as his teacher, she felt no sense of accomplishment.
In short, teaching Kitazawa medical ninjutsu had never been a joy for her.
"You should hurry to Konoha Hospital," Tsunade said, waving her hand.
Human life was at stake, and she could still tell which was more important—surgery or gambling.
"Tsunade-sama, no more than three more hours!" Shizune insisted.
"Got it, you're so annoying!" Tsunade snorted, somewhat disapprovingly.
After they left, she looked at the gambling table, but lost interest.
Kitazawa had mastered the Regenerative Healing Jutsu, meaning his medical ninjutsu was now comparable to Shizune's.
The only medical ninjutsu left for him to learn was her Yin Seal and Ninja Art: Creation Rebirth: Strength of Hundred Technique.
In other words, at this point, she should take Kitazawa as her student.
Tsunade left the casino. She wandered aimlessly down the street.
She had no objection to Kitazawa being her student; he was talented, powerful, and a decent person. But Tsunade hadn't yet made up her mind about staying in Konoha.
Unlike Shizune, Kitazawa had friends in the village and was a teacher at the ninja academy. He couldn't follow them into the wandering ninja life.
Tsunade paused and looked at Hokage Rock in the distance. From left to right were Hashirama Senju, Tobirama Senju, Hiruzen Sarutobi, and Minato Namikaze.
"Then let's make one last bet for Konoha." Tsunade was silent for a few seconds before making up her mind.
She couldn't be worse than Uzumaki Naruto, and it wasn't in her nature to procrastinate.
She was betting on overcoming her hemophobia. Although she had helped develop a number of so-called psychological healing ninjutsu, their effectiveness was uncertain.
Furthermore, her hemophobia was considered one of the most severe among all mental illnesses.
---
In the operating room at Konoha Hospital,
Kitazawa looked around. Although he had participated in many surgeries, this one was undoubtedly the largest.
Including him, there were five medical-nin jonin participating.
Today's patient was from the Hyuga clan. He had been discovered by a ninja from the Hidden Mist while on a mission in Kirigakure and was near death.
"Begin the operation," said Yakushi Nono with a serious expression.
The other four nodded solemnly. The five took their positions and began to form hand seals.
"Regenerative Healing Jutsu!"
The Hyuga clan ninja lay within the massive seal array. With the infusion of chakra from everyone, he was enveloped in a pale green glow.
Nono removed a section of the patient's hair. Under the effects of the Regenerative Healing Jutsu, a miraculous scene occurred: new cells grew in the hair.
Under Nono's control, new cells filled the patient's wounds.
Kitazawa suddenly recalled the story of the Regenerative Healing Jutsu in the original tale.
The patient being treated then was the severely injured Hyuga Neji. Shizune had led the medical team in that surgery, also using hair as a medium.
Time passed slowly.
Changing the cell ratio and regenerating tissue required not only extreme chakra control but also a lengthy process.
The surgery began at 2:00 PM and lasted until 7:00 PM.
Knowing that surgery could sometimes take up considerable time, Kitazawa had informed Iruka ahead of time.
He had asked him to check in before class, and if Kitazawa wasn't available, to fill in for him.
Kitazawa had even thought of leaving a shadow clone, but surgery drained too much chakra. Just like now, his chakra reserves were already near their limit.
If he had sent a shadow clone to attend class, he might have run out of chakra midway through the operation.
"The operation was a complete success. Thank you for your hard work, everyone," said Nono, wiping the sweat from his forehead.
Not only her, but everyone present was drenched in sweat, as if they had just been pulled out of the water.
Such a long period of intense concentration was torture for everyone, no less intense than a fierce battle.
"Senior Nono, see you tomorrow."
Kitazawa left the operating room and walked toward his office.
---
He yawned, feeling exhausted both physically and mentally. Fortunately, it was not without results. As he expected, he was one step closer to completing his difficult surgical task.
Kitazawa raised an eyebrow and stopped.
His office door was not fully closed—there was a gap. Who could be inside?
Sakura couldn't help with the Regenerative Healing Jutsu. She had returned to the Academy long ago.
Kitazawa walked into the office calmly. His eyes scanned the room until they settled on the sofa.
There, Kurenai was lying soundly asleep.
Kitazawa smiled faintly, immediately guessing the reason.
She must have come to Konoha Hospital because he hadn't returned home so late. But since he had been tied up in surgery and couldn't meet her, she could only wait in his office.
Kitazawa stepped forward and crouched in front of her. Kurenai's face rested against her arm, her expression serene.
Her graceful figure curled up against the sofa, soft yet resilient. The weight of her body pressed against her clothes, outlining her curves clearly.
A thought struck Kitazawa, and he reached out, gently caressing her face.
Kurenai trembled slightly, though her eyes remained closed.
Pretending to be asleep? Kitazawa's lips curled upward, a mischievous spark glinting in his eyes.
His hand traced the lines of her face, slid across her neck, and down her smooth back before resting at her hips.
Kurenai did not stir, but her breathing grew uneven.
So that was her plan? Kitazawa chuckled to himself.
He was not a man of restraint. His hand shifted lower, slipping beneath the hem of her shirt and disappearing into her trousers.
That was when he noticed the bandages—wrapped only around her thighs, not her hips.
Kurenai's eyes snapped open in shock, disbelief flashing across her face.
Kitazawa met her gaze calmly, his hand firmly grasping her fair skin.
The sudden contact made Kurenai's cheeks flush crimson. With a sharp whoosh, she vanished, using the Body Flicker Technique.
"As expected, touching you is incredible." Kitazawa rose to his feet, feeling the exhaustion of the day dissolve completely.
He sat down on the sofa, a smile still playing across his lips.
Moments later, Kurenai reappeared. Without a word, she stomped hard on his foot.
"Pervert!" she shouted, her face red with embarrassment. This bastard was getting bolder by the day!
"What's wrong? Why are you scolding me?" Kitazawa blinked innocently.
"You—you touched me, and you dare act like you don't know?" Kurenai's voice trembled with both anger and shame.
"Didn't you agree to it?" Kitazawa countered with a smirk. "You were the one pretending to sleep first."
"I-I…" Kurenai stammered, words failing her.
She had only feigned sleep out of curiosity, wanting to see what he would do. But she hadn't expected him to be so brazen—far beyond her imagination.
"Let's go. It's time to head home." Kitazawa stood up, pinched her cheek playfully, and asked, "Have you eaten?"
"No," Kurenai admitted, curling her lips. Thinking of his long hours in surgery, she added softly, "I'll cook for you when we get home."
"Kurenai, you're too good to me." Kitazawa leaned forward and kissed her.
"You—!" Kurenai instinctively raised her hands to push him away, but in the end, she didn't. Instead, she clashed with him in a fierce exchange of lips and breath.
When they finally parted, Kurenai lowered her head, took Kitazawa's right hand, and pressed it against her bare hip. This time, there was no fabric between them.
"If I beat you up, you'll behave and let me handle you every day," she muttered, rolling her eyes before turning away. "Now close the door!"
"I'm coming." Kitazawa shut the door behind him and followed her out of Konoha Hospital.
"Tsunade-sama is at my place too," Kurenai suddenly remembered aloud. "She's the one who told me you and Shizune were still in surgery at the hospital."
"Then why don't we eat first?" Kitazawa asked with a raised brow.
He could understand that Kurenai would wait for him to eat. But with Tsunade's personality… would she really wait?
"I originally wanted to eat with Tsunade-sama first, but she said it was too troublesome to cook twice, so I'll eat after you come back," Kurenai explained.
"Huh." Kitazawa rubbed his chin, puzzled. "That's a bit strange."
"You really do understand Tsunade-sama," Kurenai said, as if foreseeing it. "She certainly seemed down today."
"When I went to see her this afternoon, she was still at the casino," Kitazawa said casually. "Maybe she lost a lot of money today."
"That's possible." Kurenai couldn't figure it out, but she thought about it again.
The two of them quickly returned home.
As Kurenai had said, Tsunade was indeed there. She sat lazily on the sofa, her long legs stretched out, white heels resting on the coffee table.
Shizune, who had been a bit flustered earlier when she saw Kitazawa, was also present.
When Kurenai entered the kitchen, Shizune immediately followed, intending to help.
"Tsunade-sama," Kitazawa greeted as he stepped forward, his eyelids twitching.
Tsunade had taken off her tea-green coat, which now sat draped loosely on her shoulders, straining under the weight of her presence. It must have been a real burden.
Kitazawa pondered this and sat down across from her.
"What did the old man tell you?" Tsunade suddenly asked.
"Hokage-sama?" Kitazawa replied doubtfully. "I haven't seen Hokage-sama today."
"What about before?" Tsunade straightened her posture, her sharp gaze fixed on him.
"Which aspect are you referring to?" Kitazawa's heart jolted, his scalp tingling.
"Aspects related to me," Tsunade said calmly.
Kitazawa couldn't help but feel puzzled. What happened today? Was Tsunade trying to settle accounts with him?
"Hokage-sama told me to try my best to persuade you to get treatment for hemophobia," Kitazawa admitted after a brief hesitation, speaking truthfully.
Between Sarutobi Hiruzen and Tsunade, he chose honesty. With Tsunade's personality, he doubted she would hold it against him.
"As expected." Tsunade wasn't surprised. Hiruzen's intentions were something everyone understood.
Since Kitazawa had been vigorously building the psychological medical shinobi system, one of the ultimate goals had always been her.
"Then let's make a bet," Tsunade said slowly, lifting her gaze to him.
"What bet?" Kitazawa asked. He already had an idea, but he wasn't sure what had pushed her to this decision.
Was it Uzumaki Naruto's performance in the September exam? Or perhaps their heart-to-heart talk at the Izakaya?
"I've been in Konoha Village for a long time," Tsunade said, not directly answering. "Once the Emotional-Displacement Jutsu is developed, the psychological shinobi system will be basically complete."
The system already had five techniques. With Emotion-Displacement added, it would make six. And no matter what type of jutsu it was, mastering six was already an impressive strength.
Tsunade's words meant the system's foundation was finished—there was no problem anymore.
"Are you leaving?" Kitazawa asked in shock.
"Yes," Tsunade nodded. "But before I go, I'll make another bet with you."
"What's the bet?" Kitazawa's gaze sharpened.
"I'll be Yakumo's first patient," Tsunade said, biting her lip. "If she can't cure me, I'll leave Konoha."
"What if she does?" Kitazawa asked.
"Then I'll help her completely perfect the psychological shinobi system," Tsunade said, taking a deep breath.
Kitazawa thought to himself that it was true.
He remembered a saying from his previous life—when you open your mouth to speak, you've already made your decision.
Tsunade knew she always lost her gambles, yet she still gambled. In truth, she was leaning toward staying in Konoha. It was only the shadows of her past that still bound her.
"Tsunade-sama," Kitazawa said after some thought, "the past will eventually pass."
"You talk too much. Are you going to gamble or not?" Tsunade glared at him angrily.
"How could I refuse Tsunade-sama's bet?" Kitazawa answered with a faint smile.
"Hmph!" Tsunade folded her arms. "Don't be so confident. Who wins or loses is still uncertain."